We won't be the places where monsters can grow
by AyaWolf27
Summary: A reteling of the movie (yes, the movie!) with the addition of an original character. Neela is the adopted daughter of Captain Nemo, and she accompanies him when he is summoned to England by the mysteriour "M". There she finds someone who, much like her, holds a secret and monstruous nature. Can they find the way into each others heart, or will the monsters within destroy them?
1. Darkness Rising

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, except for Neela and Kamal**

 **Chapter 1 - Darkness Rising**

She was running in the dark, terrified. _He_ was after her, she just knew. She could hear his breath, and the sound of his claws, and she could smell the blood. She was so weak, so small, and he was so much stronger. If he got to her…If he got to her, she could only imagine what he would do. She would certainly be dismembered and gutted, like an animal. Like her mother and siblings. Death was upon her, she knew.

Suddenly there was nowhere else to run. She was trapped inside the darkness, and she could hear him coming close. For a moment she hesitated, but finally the girl turned to look upon her pursuer… she saw red eyes glowing in the dark and then, his hand was upon her throat...

Neela woke suddenly, soaked in sweat, and it took a moment for her to gather her thoughts and realize where she was. "Oh, yes" she thought "I am home".

 _Home_ was a word to describe it, for sure. But her home was not a conventional house: it was the Nautilus, the impressive vessel that belonged to (and was commanded by) her adoptive father, Captain Nemo.

After calming down a bit, telling herself that what happened was just a nightmare, Neela got up from her bed to start her daily routine: clean up, dress up, have breakfast with her father, then assist him in the captain's cabin, have lunch with the crew, shooting lesson, train swords with Kamal, dinner and finally she would have some time to read before going to bed. It was the same every day, except for the rare occasions when they would land. Her father hated dwelling too long on ground, so usually she would carry on with the necessary tasks whenever they were on land. But they have been at sea for months now, and it didn't seem like they would go to land any soon.

After she was done getting dressed, Neela looked upon her reflection. She never saw herself as particularly beautiful, yet everyone seemed to think so. She had dark olive skin, a heart shaped face, big blue eyes and full eyebrows. Her hair was long, jet black and thick, and for practical purposes she always kept it braided. She was short in stature, but her body was agile and strong. Neela usually wore "manly" clothes when on board, leaving the fancy dresses and heavy skirts to the rare occasions when she had to deal with people on land. While she was at the Nautilus, however, she usually kept her attire very practical: a black sherwani with golden embroidery and a black churidar, along with leather boots. She wore no jewelry save for a golden band she used to tie her hair and a necklace that Nemo gave her for her 15th birthday. Usually she would need less than half an hour to get ready, but that morning, after the vivid nightmare, she took a bit longer than that.

So she was about 10 minutes late for breakfast, a fact that her father noted the moment she walked into the room:

"You are late" Nemo said, without even turning to her. Neela took her seat, with the napkin over her lap, and started to serve herself some chai.

"Yes, I overslept. I am sorry"

Nemo looked at her quizzically for a moment, as if he was about to say something, but remained silent. Whatever it was, he dropped the matter and continued to eat in silence. He was a methodic man, and he usually didn't enjoyed small talk during meals. But as soon as they finished he gestured for the servants to clean the table. A minute later, Ishmael approached with a piece of paper, that was handed to Neela.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Read" said Nemo.

Neela unfolded the paper. It was a simple note, elaborate in short sentences. Neela knew it probably arrived via telegraph. It said:

 _"Captain Nemo. I need your services. Come to London. M."_

"I don't understand. What is the meaning of this? Who is 'M'?"

"He is an old… acquaintance of mine. I don't know much about him, but it appears he works for His Royal Majesty handling very... secretive activities. I never met him in person, but one of his associates came to me a long time ago in France. I dismissed him at the time, but now…"

"Now what?" Neela wasn't sure she was following. She never heard of this 'M' character before, she was sure. Nemo never mentioned him, not even once. What kind of man was this, and what he could possibly want from her father?

"The Bank of England was robbed a few days ago. They used… well, no one is sure what that was. Some kind of war machine. And some german scientists have been kidnaped." Ishmael said. "There are rumors about war between England and Germany, which cannot end well."

Neela was dumbstruck. Surely, these were grave news. War is always a nasty business, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to witness a war between two world potencies.

"And now" said Nemo "this! If 'M' is contacting me so shortly after the attack, I am inclined to pay him a visit. Maybe something big is happening."

War, strange machines, a mysterious man whose name consists of one letter... Considering her usually uneventfull routine, this was an unexpected development. Neela wasn't sure of how she felt about it. It was too much to consider all at once. Still musing about the news, she asked Nemo:

"So we are going to London?"

"Yes. We must be there by lunch." was Nemo's short response.

Neela thought about it for a moment. Not that she loathed to be on earth, but she wasn't expecting to go to England anytime soon. And to have a possibly secret meeting with a mystery man named 'M'. Somethings was about to happen, she could feel it. That night she had that nightmare again, after a long time… it could only be a bad omen. But whatever it was, there was no running away from that. "that's how karma works, after all" she thought. Rising from her seat, she said:

"Then London it is".


	2. First Date

_Note: as I said before, none of the characters belong to me, except for Neela and Kamal, who are OC._

 _The Rakshasa are an actual myth originated from India. In this story, however, I adapted them a bit to best serve my purposes._

 _I hope you enjoy._

 **Chapter II**

 **First Date**

" _It's so bloody rainy here",_ Neela thought as she looked upon the streets through the window of her guest room in 'M's house. It has been 3 hours since they arrived. Upon arrival she was led to a grand room, where she was supposed to wait for the others. She had no idea who were the "others", and neither did her father. The best they could do was to wait. After talking with her father, Neela retreated to her room. A few hours later she was bathed, and fed, waiting impatiently for _something_ to commence, whatever it was. In the meantime, she asked Kamal to join her for a game of chess. He has been like a brother to her since she was adopted by Nemo, and much like the old captain, Kamal couldn't deny her anything.

"Rani" Kamal called her, using the playful nickname he gave her long time ago "you called me"

"Yes, I did. I am bored, Kamal. All I do is stay here, waiting. Play with me, please? It would distract me a bit"

"Oh, Rani. You know I cannot deny you anything. Sit, let us play"

They sat at the table and started a game. Neela was a good player, but Kamal was the one who taught her the game. Each of their games would take a couple of days to end, and they have more or less the same number of victories, with quite a few draws. The first time they played was on the night Neela was brought to The Nautilus. She was an 8 years old girl then, terrified and wary. She wouldn't speak to anyone, and at the slightest sound or movement she would cower in a corner, trembling. Nemo was unsure of what do to about the little orphaned girl he just rescued from a village in Punjab, until he remembered of Kamal. Kamal, the son of one of the crewman of the Nautilus, was an 11 years old by the time, only a few years senior that Neela. He had been living in the vessel since his mother's death a year before, when his father decided to bring him along, with the captain's permission. Nemo called the boy and asked him to help with the little girl. Kamal tried to talk to her, play with her, and he even sang for the girl, but what caught her eye was the big marble chess board that laid at one of the tables in Nemo's office. Following her gaze the boy offered to teach her how to play, and so started their tentative friendship. Kamal's help was crucial to acclimatize Neela in the Nautilus. He taught her about the vessel, its hiding places, and the crew. Little by little she overcame whatever trauma she had, and became part of the daily routine of the Nautilus. Barely a year after, she was a different person entirely, not shy and frightened anymore, but bold, secure, sweet and joyful. She brought life to the old captain's soul. Kamal nicknamed her "Rani" for it. He used to say that Neela held the reins of Nemo's heart. It was true. The old man couldn't deny a single request from his daughter. She commanded him, Kamal, and about everyone else in the Nautilus with her gentleness and spirits, like a real queen.

A few moments later a servant knocked on the door to inform Neela she was summoned. She stood and turned to Kamal:

"Well, I was saved by the bell, as I fear I was starting to lose this game…"

"We can call it a draw if you want, Rani"

"No. I rather play fair. You would win within a few movements, I know. I did some stupid things in this game… I guess my mind was not really here. But if you prefer, you can record the positions of the pieces and we can finish the game another time."

"That would suit me even better, Rani. Maybe next time you will be focused enough to make an interesting comeback."

"Maybe." Said Neela with a smile, before she followed the servant out of the room.

They were met by Captain Nemo in the hallway, and together they proceeded in silence. They walked through shady corridors, and descended a big staircase until they found themselves in a crumbled and dark room. The servant opened a secret door and motioned for them to enter.

They found themselves inside a big library, with a large wood table in the center. Huge shelves covered the walls, all of them pending with old books. There were also pieces of art here and there, and Neela knew they were before and impressive collection. There were two men in the room: a middle aged man with white hair and the looks of a hunter, and a well-dressed man in his forties, who greeted them as they entered the room.

"Allan Quartermain, Captain Nemo and his beautiful daughter, Neela"

"I know of Mister Quartermain" her father answered.

"And I know of you, Captain." Said the hunter "Rumor has it that you are a pirate"

"I'd prefer a less provocative tittle"

"I'm sure you would"

Neela knew there as animosity between the two men, but before an argument could follow, the mysterious gentleman, "M", tried to settle things.

"Gentlemen, please. Let's not start an argument, least of all in the presence of a Lady."

"Yes, of course not. I am sorry for that, Lady Neela" said Quarterman kissing her hand like a true gentleman. Neela was baffled. How could this man insult her father at one moment and be so polite to her in the other? But she felt it wasn't the right time to start an argument, so she decided to follow along.

"Mister Quartermain" she said, curtsying.

"Lady Neela will be present at our meeting?" asked Mr. Quartermain. "I doubt what will be discussed here will be of interest for a lady"

"Well, Mr. Quartermain, I doubt _you_ would know what interests a girl like _me_. But do not trouble yourself about it. You can discuss your _'gentlemen businesses_ in my presence. I will not interrupt"

"Now gentlemen… and lady… Nations are striking at nations. Every attack marked by the use of highly advanced weaponry. These attacks are all the work of one man... who calls himself the Fantom."

"Very poetic. What's in it for him?" said Mr. Quartermain

"Profit. Those machines are his creations, the work of scientists he holds imprisoned. His attacks have nations clamoring for the weapons that assail them." M answered.

"Then it's a race for arms." Mr. Quartermain said, while he analyzed the contents of a brief that lay at the top of the table.

"And many will perish" her father concluded.

"Can it be avoided?" Neela asked "This war… is there any way to prevent it?"

"Yes. There's one last chance to avert war." Said M "The leaders of Europe are to meet secretly in Venice."

"And you believe that this Fantom will attack that conference?" asked Mr. Quartermain

"If he can find it"

"We need a team to stop him in Venice. This team consists of seven members. You'll have four days."

"Four days to get to Venice? Impossible" claimed Mr. Quartemain.

"Let me worry about that" her father answered, and Neela could barely suppress a smile.

"Well now, extraordinary gentlemen indeed." Said Mr. Quartermain.

"One of them is late. Harker, the chemist."

"Oh, chemist, eh?" said a strange voice. Neela was startled. No one else seemed to be present, so where that voice did came from? "Do we get to blow something up then?" it continued

"My eyesight must be worse than I thought." Said Mr. Quartermain, looking around.

"No, your eyesight's fine" and then, out of nowhere, a pile of papers was dropped in front of Mr. Quartermain. Neela blinked a few times, astonished. What the hell was going on?

Mr. Quartermain seemed very annoyed, for he stood and said, pointing a finger at M:

"No games, M"

With a smirk on his face, M stood up and said:

"Some time ago, a talented, albeit misguided, man of science discovered the means to become invisible."

"Yes, I recall the tale, but didn't he die?" asked Quartermain

"Well, he did, but his process didn't." said the strange voice again "you see, I stole it, and here I stand for all to see."

And suddenly, someone grabbed her behind. Neela startled and jumped, and all attentions turned to her.

" _Something_ grabbed me" she said. M smiled, but Quartermain and Nemo seemed tense.

"Is this some parlor game?" asked Quartermain. Neela could see he was about to lose his temper.

"Believe it." And then Mr. Quartermain was tapped in the shoulder. He immediately reacted with a punch, but his fist fell on thin air.

"Easy now, Allan." said the voice "I'm feeling a bit of a draft in my nether regions. And it's quire refreshing"

And then, a coat that was resting at one of the chairs was lifted in the air, while the voice said:

"Allow me to introduce myself. Rodney Skinner, gentleman thief." Neela was dumbstruck. She never thought invisibility could be possible. But then again, she saw more 'impossible' things in her life than she could count. Skinner retrieved a can of his pocket and proceeded to rub a white cream over his face, while he told his tale:

"Now, I thought invisibility would be a boon to my work. Well, you can imagine it was my undoing. Once you're invisible, it's bloody hard to turn back."

"We finally caught him." Said M

"And they'll provide an antidote. Well, that's if I'm a good boy."

"And are you a good boy?" asked Mr. Quartermain.

"I guess you'll find out, won't you?" Mr. Skinner answered. Neela was positive he wasn't a good boy, but she decided to keep her opinions to herself. A moment later, the doors opened and a woman entered the room. She was tall, beautiful and elegant, dressed in a fancy black dress with a red scarf that gave her a rather melancholic appearance.

"Am I late?" she asked.

"A woman's prerogative, Mrs. Harker." Was M's response. Mrs. Harker proceeded to the room, under the eyes of all the gentlemen, and the lady. Mr. Quartermain, however, seemed unpleased by her presence, for he said:

"Please tell me this is Harker's wife with a sick note."

" _Sick_ would be a mild understatement. My husband's been dead for years." She answered.

"Gentlemen, Mrs. Wilhelmina Harker." M said, as an introduction. Nemo and Neela curtsied, while Mr. Quartermain remained unfazed. "Mina's prior acquaintance with a reluctant League member may prove useful."

"I'm waiting to be impressed" Mr. Quartermain said. Clearly she held some level of disdain for women, judging by the way he dismissed Mrs. Harker and herself, mere moments before.

"The fate of the world is at stake. There are two more members to recruit. The clock hands turn, gentlemen." Said M.

"Kicking us out already? A moment ago, it was sherry and giggles." Said Mr. Skinner, exiting the room. The rest of them followed him to the rainy outside. _"British summer"_ Neela thought _"I didn't miss it one bit"_

"What in God's name is that?" said Mr. Quartermain, astonished. Neela followed his line of sight to the two vehicles that were parked at the entrance. They were her father's invention for their brief yet sometimes necessary strolls on land. _"If his jaw dropped by the sight of them"_ Neela thought _"he will pass out when he sees the Nautilus"._

"I call it an automobile." Nemo said

"Yeah, but what is it?" Mr. Skinner seemed equally impressed.

"The future, gentlemen." Said Neela advancing past the two dumbstruck men to one of the vehicles, where Kamal waited. "The future"

"This is my first mate." Said Nemo, and a man stepped out of the vehicle.

"Call me Ishmael. Please." They all entered the other vehicle, while Ishmael drove away, followed by Kamal and Neela.

A few moments later they arrived at their destination, a large and somber mansion near the eastern docks. It seemed the house of a misanthropist, and Neela wondered what kind of recruit they would find there. Ishmael turned to her father and asked:

"Shall I wait, captain?"

"No, you and Kamal take the automobiles and bring my lady to me."

They approached the house slowly, taking in their surroundings. The place had a grim appearance, not pleasant at all.

"This is a charming spot. Does Jack the Ripper live here?" said Skinner. Allan Quartermain knocked on the door, and a young man answered.

"Good evening."

"Mr. Dorian Gray?"

"I am indeed."

"We came by way of M."

"M for mystery... Well, I've told him and I'm telling you, I'm not interested."

It would appear their travel was wasted, but then Mina Harker stepped in:

"Dorian."

"Mina?" Mr. Gray said, fully opening the door to let her in. The rest of them followed.

Mr. Gray's house was big, and somber. It seemed that he lived alone in there, as not even a single servant was around. They followed him through a corridor that was poorly lit. Many pictures covered the walls of the house. It would appear that Mr. Gray was an art enthusiast.

"Charming décor." Skinner noted, with a hint of sarcasm.

"You're missing a picture, Mr. Gray." Said Quartermain. He was right. There was a vacant spot in the wall of portraits, and it seemed it has been missing for a long time. Mr. Gray laugh and said:

"And you don't miss a thing, do you?"

"Oh, sometimes."

They were led to a big library, the most illuminated and well-kept room of the house. It seemed that it was there that Mr. Gray spent most of his time, judging by the difference between that room and the rest of the house. Mr. Skinner saw a table with whisky bottles and went right over there:

"Scotch, anyone?" he asked

"Please, help yourself." was Mr. Gray ironic response.

"Don't let it ruin your makeup." Mina whispered to Skinner as she passed by.

"I'm impressed, Mr. Gray. You take Skinner's uniqueness in your stride." Nemo noted.

"Yes, well, I've seen too much in my life to shock easily. Although, I must say I was surprised to see you again." He said to Mina

"Well, our last parting was such sweet sorrow."

"So you're nothing more than an enticement. Nevertheless, your presence intrigues me." It was clear that there was some history between the two of them. Mr. Gray then turned his attention to Mr. Quartermain:

"They say you're indestructible, Quatermain."

"Well, a witch doctor did bless me once. I had saved his village. He said Africa would never allow me to die."

"But you're not in Africa now." Noted Gray. Allan Quartermain only smiled and said:

"No."

"I confess a curiosity as to what the files say about Mr. Gray." Her father said. "We, all of us, have traits useful in this endeavor. A hunter, scientist, even Skinner has stealth. What have you?"

"I have experience."

"Gray and I have met before," said Mr. Quarterman "many years ago at Eton College."

"A lecture, no doubt." Mina suggested "You, the nation's hero, Dorian, the eager listening boy."

"Quite the reverse. It was Gray visiting Eton... and I was the boy."

Now that was interesting. How could they have met when Quartermain was a boy when Gray seemed be no more than 30 years old? But something startled Quartermain, who draw his pistol and started to look around.

"What is it?" asked Mina. Then, all of a sudden, a small army appeared, out of nowhere, and surrounded them. They were helding guns, pointing them directly at them. Quartermain broke the silence:

"Gray?"

"They are not mine."

"They're mine." A voice said, and then a horrible looking man stepped in. He was wearing a metal mask that covered a good portion of his face, but burn scars were quite visible beneath it. His hair was a tangled mess, and he wore a big coat with a fur collar.

"First meetings usually warrant introductions." Mr. Quartermain said

"Of course. I am the Fantom." The strange man answered. "and you are the League of so-called Extraordinary Gentlemen. Introductions made. Oh, and I'm scarred, Mr. Quatermain, not blind. Drop the gun."

Somehow he saw Mr. Quartermain preparing to shoot. After the warning, Quartermain conceded and dropped his pistol to the ground.

"Your mission is to stop me. That, of course, I cannot permit. So I give to you all a special one-time invitation. Join me."

"You think we'll help start a war that will consume the planet? While you profit from your arms race?" was Mr. Quartermain's response.

"I cannot deny that fortunes are made in war. Imagine the riches a world war will yield."

"He's not wrong." Skinner said. Of course a thief like him would find that a good opportunity. But the others were not fazed by the promised of richness.

"Speak for yourself." Said Mr. Gray.

The tension in the room was palatable. Fantom and his man were ready to exterminate the League, and they had the upper hand. Neela couldn't see a way out of it, but then something happened. Fantom approached Mr. Quartermain, and kicked his pistol out of the way. Then, one of the shooters fired, and then a rain of bullets fell over them. Neela ran for cover while her father got Mina out of the way. She briefly saw Mr. Skinner undressing to become invisible again. The others did not know, but she, too, had a special ability. They all thought she was there only because of her father, but that was not true. So, when the fight started Neela found herself again fighting against her inner nature… Her skin acquired a blueish tone, with strange glowing blue symbols, and her eyes had a sinister glow as well. Her nails started to grow, like claws, and in a minute the transformation was complete.

She was a woman no longer. She was _rakshasi_.

Neela started to viciously attack the shooters, ripping them to shreds and shedding blood all along. Her razor-like claws were so strong that they could pierce through the metal of their armor. She fought like a beast, and that was precisely what she was. No one knew about that, only her father and Kamal. She was born from a human mother, but her father was _rakshasa_. Most thought that they were legends, but everyone at least knew about them: beast-like demons that would attack humans with their razor claws, and consume their flesh and blood. Neela inherited from her real father a monstrous nature, one that she usually kept at bay, but could no longer contain when the smell of fear and blood was so strong.

When the fight was over Neela saw Nemo approaching, and for a split second she was about to attack him as well. It took a while for her mind to recognize him, but once she did she found herself calming down a little, under the influence of his soothing words. Slowly her skin returned to normal, and a few moments later she was again the girl from before. Mr. Quartermain approached her cautiously, looking at her with suspicion written all over his face and said:

"That was some odd trick, Lady Neela. Should we worry about it?"

Neela sighed and looked away, before explaining herself:

"In India there is this… breed of demons. They are called the _rakshasa_. Most people think they are legends or fairytales used to scare children, but they're not. My… real father was one of them, while my mother was human. So I am what you could call Manushya-Rakshasi… part rakshasi and part human."

"I would have been more comfortable if I was told that you are... different" he said.

"I can assure you, Mr. Quartermain, I am in control of my… demonic nature" Neela said. Quartermain seemingly decided to drop the matter.

"Damn. I thought I was special but… she turns into a man-eating demon…" Skinner said pointing to Neela "And you're invulnerable to harm." he said to Dorian.

"I don't like to boast. What happened to Mina?"

"Oh, she's probably hip-deep in some sort of trouble." Mr. Quartermain answered.

"Don't be such an alarmist, Mr. Q. And my hips are none of your business." She said, coming out from a hiding place, adjusting her clothes. Then, suddenly, one of the Fantom's man appeared and grabbed her, pointing a knife to her throat. All of them pointed their weapons to the assailant at the same time.

"Shoot! Go on!" he said. But they looked at each other and realized there was no way to shoot him without risking her life. The man then said:

"I guessed as much, that they would do anything to protect you."

"See, now that's your biggest mistake…Thinking that I need them to protect me." And with that, her eyes turned red and she launched herself at the man's throat, ripping it off and drinking his blood. Neela thought she was the only 'monster' in the team, but apparently she was mistake. As it seemed, there was little difference between her and Mina Harker. The man in the room looked uncomfortable in face of the scene, and Neela wondered for a moment if they looked at her the same when she was overcame by her demonic part. But in a moment, it was done. She recollected herself quite quickly, retrieving a mirror from her pocket to clean up the blood from her face.

"Extraordinary." Neela heard her father say.

"Boy, they told me European women had funny ways." Said a young man that Neela hadn't noticed before. "You missed a spot."

"Excuse me. And you are?" Mina asked.

"Special Agent Sawyer of the American Secret Service."

"Then America is aware of the situation?" asked Quartermain

"If war starts in Europe, how long will it take until it crosses the Atlantic? I followed you. I knocked out a straggler, and I took his place."

"Very noble. But this is a private party, and you're not invited." Mr. Gray seemed to dislike the young man. _"Does he feel threatened by him?"_ thought Neela. it was clear that Gray had some interest in Mina, maybe Gray he saw the boy as a rival.

"Actually, Dorian has declined. So we are one shy of a full deck." Mina answered.

"On the contrary, the battle was just the spur I needed. That and the thrill of a friendship renewed. So you're not needed."

Quartermain approached the boy, motioning to his rifle. The boy gave it to the old hunter, who inspected it.

"Winchester."

"That's right. It's modified, American style."

"American-style shooting too." The old hunter said

"Well, whatever it takes. If you like it, I brought two." Offered the boy. Quartermain seemed to consider for a moment, and then he answered:

"You're in."

After a few moments, they were ready to go. While they left the old house, Mr. Gray asked:

"So, what's the next port of call?"

"Paris. Just one last member to recruit." Nemo answered. Mr. Quartermain completed:

"Capture is more the word, and it will be quite a hunt."

"You make him sound like some kind of animal." Mina noted.

Quartermain stopped and turned to her:

"Oh, speaking thus, Mrs. Harker, your conduct a moment ago...?"

"Indeed. We are all aquiver with curiosity." Skinner completed.

"Well... My husband was Jonathan Harker. Together with a professor named Van Helsing, we fought a dangerous evil. It had a name, Dracula. He was Transylvanian."

"European? One of those radicals the newspapers love to report on?" Skinner joked

"I don't know, Mr. Skinner." Said Mina, showing two distinct marks in her neck. "Is the vampiric sucking of people's blood radical behavior?"

"Oh… Our transportation is forthcoming." Nemo said, walking towards the docks.

"A boat?" Sawyer asked.

"It travels on water, if that's what you mean." Neela answered with a smirk. The waters of the bay were agitated, and a few moments later the great vessel, The Nautilus, emerged, leaving all of them astonished. "And beneath it." She completed.

"Behold Nautilus, the Sword of the Ocean." Nemo said, motioning to the huge vessel. Everyone was positively shocked by the size of it, and probably by the wonder that there was a vessel that could travel under water. It was something unheard of. The Nautilus was created by her father, and it had no parallel in the world.

"Next stop, Paris."

xX Aya Wolf Xx


	3. Unlikely friends and enemies

**Chapter 3**

 **Unlikely friends and enemies**

 _That_ was a freaking monster.

Neela had seen her share of weirdness during her travels with her father, but that was certainly one for the records. She never saw a thing so… tall, and broad. And mean looking. And that thing seemed to realize that and rejoice in the fear it caused among others. Not that Neela was afraid, tough. No matter how big and ugly the creature seemed, she was more than capable of handling herself around it. And that's why she didn't faltered when she was staring at it, without a hint of fear and with a strange fascination.

"Mr. Hyde. You've done terrible things in England. So terrible that you fled the country." Mr. Quartermain was saying, while the creature seemed pleased, as if the hunter's words brought back memories. Quartermain continued:

"Now, I'm ashamed to say that Her Majesty's government is willing to offer you amnesty in return for your services. Do you want to go home?"

"Home? Home's where the heart is, that's what they say. And I have been missing London so." The creature said "Its sorrow is as sweet to me as a rare wine."

The creature seemed to notice Neela's eyes on it, and it stared back at her, as if measuring her. Mr. Hyde seemed pleased with what it saw, for it smirked and answered, while looking right at her:

"I am yours."

Neela raised an eyebrow. The creature seemed to be dangerous, immoral. Like she, whenever she was caught in the bloodlust who would trigger her transformation into rakshasi. Suddenly Mr. Hyde turned to Tom Sawyer, saying:

"Don't be afraid."

"Who says I'm afraid?" he answered, and Neela knew he was lying. He was _terrified._

"You do! You stink of fear!" The creature shouted.

"Quite the parlor trick." Mr. Gray said. Hyde answered:

"You wait till you see my next one."

And suddenly a change took place, leaving Neela even more fascinated than before. Because in the space of a few moments the monstrous Mr. Hyde was transformed, right in front of everyone's eyes, into a man. Neela couldn't stop staring at him. He was like her, then! Half-man and half-monster, misunderstood and alone. She felt uneasy and excited at the prospect of getting to know him more. What happened to him? Was he born a half-monster, like herself? Was it hard for him to contain Mr. Hyde, as it has been for her to control the rakhshasi? She had so many questions for him. Once the transformation was complete, the man stood there, shaking and panting, and said:

"Dr. Jekyll... ...at your service."

"So... the League is set." Mr. Quartermain said. A message came in, which her father read, before saying:

"So is the date for the conference. We have three days."

"Three days? Can this canoe do that?" Tom Sawyer asked. Neela knew he touched a nerve, because the Nautilus was Nemo's pride and joy. Her father answered:

"You underestimate the Nautilus, sir. You underestimate her greatly."

Neela passed the next day performing tasks around the Nautilus, making sure the great vessel was fully operational. Since she was a young girl her father taught her everything about engineering, so she could one day follow his footsteps and command the Nautilus. She was prolific in engineering and mechanics, and knew all of the secrets of the great vessel. She also spent part of her time with Kamal checking the weaponry of the Nautilus. There was no way of telling what exactly would happen once they reached the conference. They had to stop the Fantom, no matter how.

The next day, while Neela was on one of her patrols around the vessel she bumped into Tom Sawyer.

"Careful, milady. Wouldn't want you to get hurt" he said.

"Oh, I am pretty strong, Mr. Sawyer. Takes a lot more than that to hurt me"

She curtsied and took her leave, but Mr. Sawyer called her:

"Lady Neela, wait."

"Yes?"

"Well, I would like to let you know that if you need any… assistance… I will be glad to help."

Neela noticed he was trying to flirt with her. She shook her head and smiled, before turning to him and saying:

"And you offer yourself to my… services… because since Mrs. Harker refused them you had to turn to the second woman available. Is that right, Mr. Sawyer?"

"Oh, not at all, Lady Neela. You are second to none"

"Flattering. But I do not have need of your services. If you recall, I am quite capable of handling myself"

"Yeah… I do recall… even so…"

"Don't worry your pretty head with the likes of me, Mr. Sawyer" she said. And in that moment a wicked idea occurred to her. She remembered how scared he was of Mr. Hyde, and decided to have a little fun with Sawyer. She approached him, until their faces were just inches apart, and said:

"Do you know that a rakshasa is said to possess the strength of ten men? That's quite remarkable isn't it? A rakshasa is so strong that it can rip a man's head off with its bare hands." She said, sensing his discomfort. But Neela wasn't done yet "And it's said whenever the rakshasa fought there would be no burials afterwards. Because the rakshasa would consume the dead… up to the bones"

Sawyer gulped and looked nervous. Neela knew that he was scared at her, and she smiled inwardly at the jape she made on his expense. She stepped back, curtsied and said:

"Goodnight, Mr. Sawyer" while he left hurriedly. After he was gone Neela positively laughed and went on her way. But she stopped in her tracks ans retreated inside one of the cabins when she heard her father's voice nearby, talking to Dr. Jekyll.

"Contain your evil, doctor!" Nemo was saying. "I'll not have the brute free upon my ship. Must I take drastic steps?"

"I am in control." The doctor answered.

"I very much doubt it."

"Your talk is all well and good, sir, but your own past is far from laudable." Dr. Jekyll said, before storming out. When he passed near her, Neela stepped out of her hiding place, saying:

"It was very unkind of you to bring up his past like that."

Dr. Jekyll stopped and turned at her direction, seemingly ashamed to look her in the eyes. Neela approached, and continued:

"My father wasn't always a good man, and some things he did haunt him yet… You, of all people, should know what is like to be ashamed of your own deeds."

"Forgive me, Lady Neela." The doctor said "I am truly sorry."

"It's not me you should apologize to. You should talk to my father. There is no reason why you should be enemies. I am sure he will forgive you for what you said, if you can forgive him for being so cautious about your… condition."

"Yes, I will apologize. He has every right to doubt me. I do hide a monster inside me, and if I can't control him, it means danger to everybody else." Dr. Jekyll said, looking away. Neela felt drawn to him. They shared a similar fate, and of all of the people she knew, he was the only one who could understand her. She took his hand upon hers and said:

"You seem so lonely. While you crave for human contact, you always drive people away because you're afraid to hurt them…"

"How did you…?"

"You think you are the only one holding darkness inside you, and trying to keep them at bay? I know way too much what is like, and I can tell you something: it's useless to fight it. You should accept it, embrace it. It's the only way to control it… Pushing him away will only work so far until Hyde tears your heart apart. Don't let it happen, doctor. You are a sweet man. A good man."

They were just inches apart, and for a moment Neela thought what it would be like if he kissed her. It was a foreign thought; she couldn't understand where it came from. But she couldn't deny that there was some kind of attraction between them. It was almost like their inner monsters were magnets, pulling them into each other. Before she could lose the control over her emotions she stepped back, curtsied and said:

"Goodnight, doctor" before storming away.

She retreated to her room, but only a few moments later Kamal stormed in and said she was needed on the deck.

"What happened?" she asked.

"The doctor's formula has been stolen. Quartermain and your father suspect Skinner is a spy. And we are almost reaching Venice. Preparations have to be made."

"I understand." she said. A minute later she was following Kamal. The mess in the hallways and machine rooms showed her they were preparing to land.

Moments later the Nautilus was anchored in the pier. Nemo was shouting orders at Ismael and the other sailors.

"Deploy the divers beneath the city. The explosives must be found."

"Aye, aye, sir."

They looked around the city, where the streets were crowding with people celebrating the Carnival.

"The city is vast. It could be anywhere." Mina pointed out. It was true. How could they search such a great area, even with their special talents?

"What about Skinner?" Sawyer asked. Dorian Gray answered him:

"I'd be alert for his treachery."

Sudden explosions erupted, startling all of them. For a moment Neela thought that it was Fantom's strike, but when she saw the fireworks up in the sky she left out a sigh of relief.

"Bloody carnival." Quartermain said, and for once Neela agreed with him. Mina looked around, seemingly relieved, and said:

"God, I feared the worst."

Tom Sawyer approached her and said:

"It's all right. We still have..."

And then, suddenly, a big blast echoed, making the ground tremble. That was not a firework. The attack begun and Fantom was one step ahead of them. Parts of buildings started to fall around them. A big rock fell, and it would have hit Neela if Dr. Jekyll didn't pull her out of collision course. When the rock smashed in the pavement, Neela looked the doctor in the eyes and breathlessly said:

"Thank you, doctor"

"You're welcome, milady"

One of the crewmen screamed:

"The buildings are falling like dominoes!"

"We're too late!" Mina said. They were running out of time. Soon the city will be a pile of debris, if they didn't act right away.

"There must be more than one bomb." Quartermain said "Nemo!"

"The bombs are at the city's center. We must take out one key building." The old hunter said. Her father answered:

"Yes! Get ahead and destroy the next building!"

"Interrupting the chain of destruction!" Neela completed. Sawyer ran back to the Nautilus, while the others tried to coordinate the next steps.

"With a beacon at the coordinates, I could launch a rocket and take out the domino effect."

"That's ridiculous!" Gray said. "We'd never get there in time."

"There would be no room for error, but I tell you it could work." Nemo answered

"What are you talking about? Gray's right" Dr. Jekyll said, and Gray completed "I'm an immortal, sir, not a gazelle. How can we outrun this?"

Suddenly Sawyer returned driving one of the automobiles.

"Care for a spin?" he said with a smirk. There was no time to lose, so Mina, Quartermain and Gray jumped in the vehicle.

"Come on, Jekyll, get in!" the hunter said.

"I'll need coordinates." Nemo shouted above the havoc.

"Can you track this?"

"Of course."

"Then this is the target. Launch when you see the flare."

"Right." Her father said, returning to the Nautilus.

"I will stay behind in case Fantom targets us. He may come after the Nautilus when he realizes his plan failed"

"Alright. Jekyll, come on, we'll need Hyde." Quartermain said. The doctor however seemed conflicted about it, and ultimately answered:

"No! Hyde will never use me again."

"Then what good are you?" Gray said, dismissively. Neela watched the pained expression in the eyes of the good doctor, and she felt sorry for him. She understood what it was like to live with a monster within, and Gray had no right to mock Dr. Jekyll like that. She went over to him, took his hand in hers and gave him a sincere smile.

"It's alright, doctor. There is much we can do from here. You're a doctor, and there are injured who need treating. Come on"

He nodded, and they got to work. Neela and Kamal went to the weaponry room to get the missile ready to launch, while her father and Ismael waited for the signal. It was a long shot, but in the moment it was the best they could do. An eternity seemed to pass, while Neela and Kamal went through the vessel, assessing damages and making the impossible to guarantee it would still be operational. When they returned to the deck, they heard gunshots.

"Must be Fantom's soldiers" Neela said. "Kamal, send Raj and his shooters in that direction. Quartermain need all the help we can provide. And tell Mohinder to help the doctor out there. I bet the number of injured is increasing at every minute."

"Yes, Rani."

"Hurry up, Quartermain. Hurry up" she said to herself.

In that moment she regreted staying behind. She knew she was needed in the Nautilus, but seeing the destruction and doing nothing to stop was making her anxious. Then, the light of the beacon appeared in the sky. It was the signal.

"LAUNCH!" Her father screamed, and then the projectile left the Nautilus, aiming at the direction from where the beacon came. As expected, when that building was knocked down the domino effect was abruptly broken, and the destruction stopped.

"Good work, gentlemen" she said, smirking. The number of injured was, indeed, very high, and Neela decided to help out the doctor. She wasn't trained like him, but she knew a thing or two about treating wounds. After a while, Quartermain returned:

"The Fantom is M. And the hunt is still on."

"What are you talking about?" Dr. Jekyll asked.

"The Fantom is M. The man who recruited us." Quartemain approached with his weapon on hand and apparently a wound on his shoulder. The doctor tried to help him, but Quartermain dismissed him.

"But how?" Nemo asked.

"We'll get our answers." Quartermain said "Where are the others?"

Mina arrived alone, saying:

"Dorian's missing in action. And Mr. Skinner must have fled when he realized we knew."

"And Sawyer?" the old hunter asked, concern evident in his voice. The boy appeared out of the shadows, with his cocky smirk:

"He'll live to fight another day." He said, walking towards the group with a hand to his forehead where a small cut could be seen. Mina approached him, assessing the cut, which seemingly made him nervous. She smiled and said:

"Don't worry, I've had my fill of throats for this evening."

They were interrupted by Ismael, who came out of the vessel, wounded and limping.

"Captain!" he said, and the doctor ran to him, supporting the sailor's body as he collapsed to the ground.

"It was Gray... not Skinner." Ismael struggled to say. "Gray has tricked us all." And those were the last words he spoke. His blue eyes remained open but lifeless in a pained expression. He was gone.

Nemo was shaken by the double strike: first, Gray's treason. And now, he lost his second in command, a man who sailed with him for over 20 years. Neela suppressed her tears. Now wasn't the time to shed them. She knew Ismael since she was a little girl. He was like family to her, always treating her like a daughter. Neela felt the rage bubble up inside her, and for a moment she almost lost it and turned to rakshasi again. Gray and M would pay dearly for what they have done, she swore.

Then the noise of engines running echoed. Neela knew that sound.

"What is it?" Sawyer asked, and Nemo answered:

"It's the sound of treachery!"

They ran after Nemo, to the other side of the vessel. Just as she expected, the exploration pod was being detached from the Nautilus, probably with a smiling Mr. Gray inside it.

"What is that thing?" Sawyer asked.

"It's an exploration pod. The Nautiloid." She asked.

"We could track it." Quartermain said, and her father answered:

"I intend to catch it!"

xX Aya Wolf Xx


End file.
